Carlo Thränhardt (German pronunciation:[ˈkaʁloˈtʁɛːnˌhaʁt], audioⓘ; born 5 July 1957) is a retired German high jumper. He excelled at indoor competitions, setting the world indoor record on three occasions between 1984 and 1988. His best mark of 2.42 metres ranks him second on the indoor all-time list one-centimetre behind world record holder Javier Sotomayor of Cuba. The only superior outdoor performances are Sotomayor's world record of 2.45 m, and Mutaz Essa Barshim's clearance of 2.43 m in 2014. Like all modern high jumpers, Thränhardt used the Fosbury Flop style, but of the 16 men in history to have cleared 2.40 m or higher, he was only the second to do so jumping off his right leg. The first was Igor Paklin. At the European Indoor Championships, he won a gold medal in 1983 and four silver medals (1981,84, 86,87). Outdoors, his best championship result was winning a bronze medal at the 1986 European Championships. He also reached the Olympic finals in 1984 and 1988.
He holds the world record in the Masters 55 age group. He set this world record on 24 August 2013 in Eberstadt with 1.90 m. This was an improvement on his former world record of 1.88 m also set in 2013.[1]
Thränhardt was particularly well known for his prowess during the indoor track & field seasons. He set a total of three world indoor records. His first record jump was recorded on February 24, 1984, in the Schöneberger sports hall during which he achieved a mark of 2.37m. On January 16, 1987, in Simmerath, Germany he became the first man to clear 2.40 m indoors. This mark bested his countryman Dietmar Mögenburg's record of 2.39 m set in Cologne, Germany (1985).
On February 26, 1988, he set his last world indoor record of 2.42 m in the Schöneberger sports hall. By this time, the requirement for a roofless arena had recently been stricken from the world record (commonly known as "world outdoor record") rules, so this mark was also recognised as equalling Patrik Sjöberg's world record. It remained a world record until September 1988, when it was beaten by Javier Sotomayor (2.43 m), and a world indoor record until March 1989, when Sotomayor repeated this performance indoors. In 1990, roofs were again banned for world records, and Thränhardt's 2.42 m was retroactively removed from all official outdoor record and performance lists. Although roofs have once again been allowed (from 1998), this record (which would still be a European record shared with Sjöberg, as well as the German record) has not been retroactively reinstated. The second highest jump ever indoors, it remains the European indoor record.
Carlo Thränhardt was firstly a member of ASV Köln, later moving to LG Bayer Leverkusen. He had a match weight of 85 kg (187 lb) and is 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) tall.
